[wisconsin_cur]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mgibbons19', 'T')hose are money black holes.

But they are cute.

[jasonraymondson]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('wisconsin_cur', '
')
The only big expense is college and I am a firm believer in having them pay for at least a percentage of that expense. And no, they do not have to go to Harvard etc...

[RedStateGreen]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('kpeavey', 'S')ales tax on the bicycle/parts and on the mandatory helmet. All sorts of road taxes included in DMV fees, although a cyclist can get around those. How long until you have to register your bike for use on public roads?

[RedStateGreen]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jasonraymondson', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('wisconsin_cur', '
')
The only big expense is college and I am a firm believer in having them pay for at least a percentage of that expense. And no, they do not have to go to Harvard etc...

[jasonraymondson]

I was wondering how many people are using craigslist for bartering and buying and selling.

[Jotapay]

I don't think anyone would actually *do* that, as the IRS would be all over them in a New York minute. Just sayin'...

[bodigami]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Jotapay', 'I') don't think anyone would actually *do* that, as the IRS would be all over them in a New York minute. Just sayin'...

[kpeavey]

I put an ad on it for glass. Old windows and doors make a fine greenhouse. I got enough off Craigslist to cover part of the front of the greenhouse to the tune of 8' high, 20' wide. Cost was mostly zero, one lady wants a couple of tomato plants.

Also put up an ad for glass on http://www.freecycle.org/. In all I can cover about 50' wide, 8' high, after about 2 months of very little effort.

[Prince]

I've used it to find house rentals and job listings, but smaller for sale items are more of a risk. People often over-represent the junk they are selling and the prices aren't usually all that great... and if they are great then the item is probably stolen. I just assume pay the extra 10-20% and get a brand new item from Amazon.

I think craigslist is a great idea and its simplicity is what has made it the household name that it is, but for me there are better options out there. I think craigslist now is what eBay was 7 years ago.

[Jotapay]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('bodigami', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Jotapay', 'I') don't think anyone would actually *do* that, as the IRS would be all over them in a New York minute. Just sayin'...

[Rod_Cloutier]

Since I lost my job in January, I was out of work looking for replacement employment. After 4 1/2 months I gave up on this and decided to become self-employed.

I bought 2 lawnmowers, some rakes, and a few garden tools and started a lawncare business. Its been going fine. Not quite the income I had at my last job but there are some bonuses: I don't have a boss, I charge customers per visit rather than per hour, thus I can work at a pace I find comfortable. There's no one screaming at me to 'work harder or faster'.

One problem I have been having though, and I think this problem will become more common as we move into a post peak era, is how to barter properly? I think more and more people are going to turn to self-employment as traditional jobs vanish, as more and more people are going to be working for themselves, more and more people will be turning to bartering.

The principal problem I've been having with my business is the mechanical breakdown of small engines, power tools, ect. The local lawnmower repair place charges $50.00 an hour shop labour, not to mention the 3 week wait for repairs. I had to turn to other people I know who are running under the table, or even side jobs after their day employment to get things fixed at a lower cost and in a more timely fashion.

Often, cash is not sufficient for trade. The people I deal with want something real in exchange for services rendered. Yesterday I swapped a broken lawnmower, and a broken weed wacker for a guy to come to my house and fix my clothes dryer. He will in turn fix the broken tools then resell them at a markup.

As a person who's lived his entire life in a cash economy, I don't properly understand how to barter effectively? I've talked with elderly family who lived thru the great depression and they can remember well that money was very scarce, and they effectively had to barter for just about everything they needed. Having said that, I have no first hand experience dealing with a barter (or even a black market) economy. How does one effectively proceed??

I think a barter economy is where were headed back to real fast.

[dunewalker]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Repent', ' ')
One problem I have been having though, and I think this problem will become more common as we move into a post peak era, is how to barter properly?...Yesterday I swapped a broken lawnmower, and a broken weed wacker for a guy to come to my house and fix my clothes dryer. He will in turn fix the broken tools then resell them at a markup.

As a person who's lived his entire life in a cash economy, I don't properly understand how to barter effectively? I've talked with elderly family who lived thru the great depression and they can remember well that money was very scarce, and they effectively had to barter for just about everything they needed. Having said that, I have no first hand experience dealing with a barter (or even a black market) economy. How does one effectively proceed??

[mattduke]

When you would like to acquire something, first trade what you have for something of higher marketablility (something that a broad range of people would want). That way, the person who has your desired item will most likely want what you have. Preferably try to find something that will last, since you are not sure how long it will take to find what you are looking for. If the thing is divisible all the better, since you'll then have the option of trading only part of it away for the item you would really like to have. Be sure to choose an intermediate item that is unlikely to depreciate in value. For example, make sure it is scarce. You may have to trade away more than one of your posessions to acquire enough of this intermediate material. Good luck, and let me know what intermediate good you choose. That way, even if I don't want that item myself, I'll know to pick some of it up anyway so that I can always trade with you!

[Schmuto]

Time to figure things out for yourself.

Clothes dryer is about as simple as you get. With a decent volt meter you can trouble shoot an electric one very quickly. No need to pay or barter to have it fixed.

As for this . . .

"There's no one screaming at me to 'work harder or faster'."

IDK - I've had several dozen jobs in my life. Nobody ever screamed at me. Not once. Nobody ever told me to work harder or faster. Worst I ever got was a so-so review from a hysterical female boss who was on the verge of tears because I bluntly told her I had put off her project in favor of others because hers was boring and she hadn't been calling once a week to see if it was done, like the other 4 bosses.

I've never had a problem getting and keeping a job. I suppose if anybody every yelled at me I'd be looking for a new job before I got home.

[Rod_Cloutier]

OK- I have no idea how a volt meter works. How to diagnose an electrical problem or where to order replacement parts once the problem is found. Not to mention that if I even tried to used a volt meter I would likely electrocute myself in the process.

One aspect of modern society has been that it is highly specialized. IN the last 15 years prior to the economic crash, I worked in the exclusively trucking industry. I've done every job in that field; truck driving, dispatch, shipping receiving, customer service, billing, sales calls, you name it. I've done it at some point.

However, I know absolutely nothing about small engine or electrical repair. In the past there was a goal to have a 'well rounded personality', and that may be the way the future will have to progress as well. Everybody will have to know something about everything. In this day and age however, people are so highly specialized that the 'well rounded personality' is a thing of the past. Just ask a Chemist to build a square and perfectly landscaped outdoor deck. Ask a medical doctor about small engine repair, ask a pig farmer about petroleum geology. We've all become too specialized- myself included. This has come at a cost and as a long term detriment to us all.

[Caffeine]

I don't know how to fix a lawn mower either (though it's something I ought to learn how to do).

A couple of ideas, though these don't answer your question directly:

You might be able to get someone to teach you what they know about how to fix a lawn mower, dryer, etc.
You could go to the library and check out "how to fix X" books/videos.
Some people enjoy tinkering with broken stuff and trying to fix it. Yard sales are one source of tinker-ready equipment.
There are classes, too, but a) these cost money and b) educational facilities don't always provide practical education.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Repent', 'J')ust ask a Chemist to build a square and perfectly landscaped outdoor deck.

[bromius]

I think if I was going to rely on bartering to obtain a majority of the items and services I would need to carry on my daily life (and who knows, that day may come sooner than later) I would go about it like this:

I would take an inventory of all the items that I own that I could potentially part with as well as list all the skills I have that might have a chance of being useful to somebody. Based on what I needed I would go to at least several places that I thought might have decent chance of having the item I want to trade for and show them my list. The idea would be to maximize the number of possible combinations both in terms of items to trade and also trading partners. By creating the largest number of offers possible for the time invested, I could choose the potential trade that would cost me the least for the object or service desired.

This is how I would operate on an individual level, but if other people could be persuaded to do the same thing then I could offer to take other peoples lists and their order and show it to potentially interested parties, basically allowing me to function as general procurement agent within the community. In a world where goods are increasingly scarce, it would be advantageous to be the guy who could get things, and since I'd be setting up deals, not sitting on merchandise I would be less of a target for criminals. In a way I'd be like a crude analog version of ebay.

[TreeFarmer]

I'll throw in a different idea here for your lawncare business. You say you turn to people who work after hours to fix your equipment which I think is a good idea. There are two things I would seriously consider though; first are you using commercial grade lawn mowers and two, can you get a good working relationship with one guy to fix all of your equipment?

The commercial grade equiment lasts (from my experience) much longer than the regular stuff from Wal-mart and, may actually be easier to repair yourself. For example, this mower http://www.scag.com/zeroturns.html is not only much tougher than those you'd but at a local Lawn and Garden center, it is easy to service yourself.

Now, for the bartering. I'd go to my local bookstore or Amazon.com and buy a couple of books on bartering or on haggling down prices. I recently just read a book on how to bargain when house hunting and used that knowledge when I bargained for a new vehicle. This is not the book I happened to read but I've heard this one is the best one out there. http://www.amazon.com/Everythings-Negot ... 32&sr=1-10

The only reason I read a different book is becuase the book was given to me. I couldn't beat free.

TF

[tylernt]

I see a lot of comments about fixing your dryers and mowers by yourself. That's a good idea, but DIY isn't always the best route to go. For example, I don't want to put my day job on hold for two days while I make myself a new pair of shoes, when a dedicated shoemaker could do a better job in less time with his skills and tools that would be difficult for me to obtain. On the other hand, there are a lot of things where it's definitely cheaper/easier/faster to just do it yourself, with a minimal investment in skills/tools/time. So, it varies by situation.